1. Field of the Invention
Use of a meandering washer as a fastening ring.
The invention relates to the use of a meandering washer as a fastening ring having the features of claim 6.
A washer having the subject-matter features of claim 6 is already know, for use as a cup spring, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,847.
2. Description of the Relaed Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98.
Comparable meandering rings in the form of split rings, which can each be introduced into an annular groove of a carrier part radially on the inside or outside, with stressing, are known as fasterning rings. By virtue of being embedded in a groove, these fastening rings can transmit axial forces and thus serve as a fastening element for absorbing axial forces. If the intention is to use such a fastening ring to retain a fastenable part in a precisely defined manner in the axial direction on a carrier part, in the form for example of a shaft or of a pipe socket, this requires very precise production at one end of the fastenable part in the axial direction between the axial fastening surfaces of said part and the position of the receiving groove, which is to be provided in the carrier part, for the split fastening ring. Even with extremely precise production, in practice, axially play-free fastening cannot usually be achieved in a sufficiently reliable manner. Furthermore, it is not possible, using such fastening rings, for a fastenable part to be clamped in with axially acting spring force. In order to achieve a clamping-in action under spring force in the axial direction, it is necessary, in the case of such fastening rings, for a spring element to be introduced between the fastening ring and the fastenable part. Such a spring element may be, for example, a cup spring.
Furthermore, closed washers which are serrated over the inner circumference are also known as fastening rings. These washers may be designed as cup springs. Such a washer which is closed over its circumference radially on the outside does not ensure sufficiently reliable self-clamping for a non-slip fastening position with high axial forces acting on the washer. Moreover, such a washer which is split just on its inner circumference does not permit axial spring stressing forces.
As a fastening element for, for example, a releasable axial connection of two shafts, use is made, in the prior art, of washers which each comprise a meandering annular band, which, closed in the circumferential direction, can be changed in length elastically over its entire radial width. However, these washers are not used as self-clamping fastening rings. Those washers only become a fastening element by being introduced in an approximately positively locking manner into an annular gap, formed by the two parts which are to be connected to one another, in twisted form radially on the inside and outside, and then by being braced axially. Twisted form in this case means that the annular band extends in a surface generated by a cone.
By virtue of the annular band being forced in the direction of a planar progression during axial bracing, the internal diameter decreases with a simultaneous increase in the external diameter. These changes in diameter result in radial bracing between one part, designed as an externally abutting bushing, and the other part, which as a shaft engages internally, it being the intention for these parts to be connected to one another. In such a case, the bracing, which is to be applied axially, takes place, for example, via an adjusting nut acting on one of the two parts which are to be connected.